Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/208

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preach peacefully and modestly to persons entering the liquor shops. On no account were they to use intimidation or force. A deputation consisting of the Hon. Mr. Gokhale, Mr. Tilak, the Rev. Mr. MacNickel and others waited on the then Collector of Poona to discuss the rules and it is said that in accordance with some of his suggestions, certain changes were introduced therein ; and still as ill-luck would have it, in spite of every care, caution and foresight exercised, more than 40 Volunteers out of about 150 working in the City were hauled up before the Magistrate and convicted and fined for having disobeyed orders of the Police. Technically they were offenders ; for the Police had ordered them to stop picketing, which they had refused to do. Undoubtedly, the Policeman has got the power to order any person to quit a place where he is standing on a public street. But where such an order is given tDnly to disallow a peaceful citizen from doing a peaceful legitimate and philanthrophic duty, conscientious persons will feel bound to dis-obey such orders. In this connection, it should be remembered that in Europe and America, pickets are allowed even to enter liquor-shops and there do their work.

The movement spread like-fire in the whole of Maharashtra and in the enthusiasm .that it awakened, even Swadeshi and Boycott were for a time forgotten. But the custodians of law and order, afraid that it would lead to disorder, took early steps to " suppress picketing." At Lonavla (near Poona) the District Magistrate issued an order (nth April 1908) under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, enjoining people not to congregate and loiter daily in the vicinity of the coun-